Trust the ones that were before
by RoseThornOlympian
Summary: Alexander Hamilton hated his life. He hated how many homes he had been in. He hated the homes, the 'families'. He hated the Washingtons. Or, he tried to. How could a bastard, orphan, son of a whore, dealing with past abuse and schizophrenia ever be loved by the rich Washington's? They hated him, just like everyone else. That's what he told himself, until he started to trust them


p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Tree, tree, tree, field, tree, hill.../em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alexander Hamilton sighed as he rested his forehead against the window, watching the Virginia countryside rolling by./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Alexander,"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex groaned. Apparently, the stupid social worker had heard his sigh. "Yeah, Lee?" he said, his voice scratchy. He hadn't really talked in a month. Not since his third home had said to never speak. It hurt, but punishment hurt more./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Charles Lee scowled at him in the rearview mirror. "You better behave. I want to hear nothing from you for a week, at least. You obey, you behave, you last in this family for a week."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex scowled right back, glaring with a burning fire. He hated how the other families laid blame on him for the bruises and fractured ribs, both of which he knew had been bribed off his records. This new family wouldn't know a thing about his medical history./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Not like they would care. Then would use him, beat him, hurt him, then throw him out when they found out he and his issues were a package deal. Just like the first family, and the second, and the third, and the fourth. He never lasted longer than two weeks. The Washingtons would be the eighth 'family' he had. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"It wasn't long before he saw it, the large white house./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"It was huge, with at least two floors, maybe three. The red roof looked like a perfect place to watch the sunrise. The house itself looked like an adventure waiting to happen./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"No,/em he beratted himself. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Don't get your hopes up. You won't stay long enough to explore. Besides, these people are obviously rich. They won't need you around long. You'll be in and out with nothing but a few new bruises to show for it./em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""You really so sure about that?"/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex looked over to the seat next to him, his mood lifting just a bit at the sight of Hamilton, one of his few friends./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Hi, Hamilton." he whispered. "It's been a while."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Hamilton was a young man, about twenty-one or so, and he looked exactly like Alex. Same long hair, same eyes, same twitchy hands. He even had the same name. Dressed in a white shirt and blue coat, he looked just like a revolutionary general./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Hamilton smiled. It had been a while. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;""Hey, kiddo. So, what's wrong?"/span Hamilton scooted over until his right arm was thrown around Alex's shoulders. Alex sighed, relaxing in the hallucination's embrace./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""It's a new home. Again. I'm tired of it. And, frankly, scared." He pulled out of the hug to point a finger in Hamilton's face. "Don't you dare tell the others I said that. Especially Laurens and the Company. They'll never let me live it down."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Hamilton chuckled. span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;""Sure, kid. So, you're afraid of being hurt again? Why don't you give them the benefit of the doubt?"/span "That's what you said about the Kings." Hamilton frowned. span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;""I never told you to trust that coot. I didn't trust him for a second. I told you to be strong, and make the best of it."/span /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The two of them were silent as they pulled up to the door of the mansion. On the porch, a man in a nice white shirt was waiting./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Alright, brat," Lee said, turning around. He scowled at the position Alex was in, knowing he was trying to pretend he was insane again. "You obey, you behave. Not a word to anyone unless you're spoken to, got it? And quit acting like a freak. It will earn you no sympathy. Get out."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"He opened the driver door, and stepped out, leaving the car running. Alex took in a deep breath, then shakily let it out. span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;""Hey," /spanHamilton smiled reassuringly. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""You'll blow them all away. Who knows? This might just be your shot. And don't worry, I'll be here, always."/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""You promise not to leave me?" Alex questioned worriedly. span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;""Promise not to push me away?"/span The twelve-year-old frowned, looking at his feet. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""Hey, it's okay. You were scared. Just,"/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex looked up into Hamilton's worried eyes. "Just what?" em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""Just, trust me? And please, stay alive."/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex frowned a bit. Then, forcing a smile, he snarked, "Ah, you can't get rid of me that easily." Hamilton smiled, and gestured to the door handle. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""Deep breath, and pull!"/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Before Alex had a chance, the door was pulled open. Lee stood there, glaring down. Alex shrank back a bit, releasing Hamilton's hand. He didn't notice as the hallucination flickered, a terrified look appearing on his face./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Lee grabbed Alex's wrist, and pulled him out. Alex yelped as he tripped, falling. He was able to catch himself, but his bruised shoulder's screamed in protest. He stood, glaring at Lee. Avoiding the man standing at the bottom of the stairs now, he picked up the bag Lee had thrown down, hoping the man hadn't damaged his book, or his journal./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""Are you alright?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex jumped as someone helped him up, flinching when their hands touched his shoulders. He looked up into warm brown eyes. He quickly looked away, nodding sharply./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"The man turned to Lee, a frown hidden proffesionally. "Is there anything we need to know, any special care needed?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Lee looked pointedly at Alex, who glared back as he man shook his head. "No. Nothing. No health problems, though his behavior is horrendous." "Really?" "He's been removed from seven other families for fighting, sir." "Thank you."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Three minutes later, Lee was gone, and Alex was alone with the man he now lived with. Alex assumed this was ./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Mr. Washington looked at him, then held a hand out. Alex flinched away. Mr. Washington frowned, but didn't question it, to Alex's relief. "My name is George Washington, but you can call me George."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Behind Alex, Hamilton was grinning like a mad man./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Alex simply nodded to Mr. Washington, lifting his bag over his shoulder. "Is that all you have?" Mr. Washington asked. Alex nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Why was Mr. Washington so polite, so nice? Great, he was one of em style="box-sizing: border-box;"them/em. Alex hated them the most, the ones that made you feel safe, loved, so that you were weaker when they attacked, leaving a hole in your chest, and a scar on your skin./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"He silently followed Mr. Washington up the stairs. Before opening the door, Mr. Washington turned to Alex once again./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;""I should warn you," em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Here we go./em "My wife and son have been very excited to meet you."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Son? No one had told Alex that the Washington's had a child. What would he be like? He would join them, obviously, and they'd dote over him, obviously. That's how it was in the King's home. Their son George was treated like a prince, Alex was treated like a punching bag./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Mr. Washington twisted the door nob, and the door swung open. "Martha, Gilbert!" he called, causing Alex to jump. Silently cursing his reflexes, he followed Mr. Washington in./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Not three steps in, he was stopped by a jumping wall of excitement./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"salut! salut! Oh mon! Je ne peux pas croire que tu es enfin là! J'ai toujours voulu un frère! J'espère que vous l'aimez ici! Nous allons être les meilleurs amis, je le sais! Je m'appelle Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, marquis de La Fayette, mais vous pouvez m'appeler Lafayette, Laf ou Gilbert! Quel est ton nom? Quelle est ta couleur préférée? Aimez-vous la maison? Avez-vous faim? Je peux vous apporter un verre, ou-"/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;""Gilbert!" Mr. Washington laughed. "Slow down!" But it was like the kid didn't hear him./span/p  
div id="tw-target-text-container" class="tw-ta-container tw-nfl" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"  
pre id="tw-target-text" class="tw-data-text tw-ta tw-text-small" dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: auto; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 21px; line-height: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;" data-placeholder="Translation" data-fulltext=""em style="box-sizing: border-box;""- Vous voulez vous reposer, je suis sûr que nous pourrions préparer votre chambre rapidement, je peux vous aider avec votre sac?...Oh, désolé, je ne vous ai pas donné la chance de répondre."/em/pre  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"The boy looked to Alex curiously, while Mr. Washington smiled. After a moment of surprise, Alex replied./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Euh, je m'appelle Alexander Hamilton. Non, je n'ai pas faim, ni soif, merci. J'aime la maison. C'est gros. Euh, non, je n'ai pas besoin d'aide avec mon sac. Parlez vous anglais?"/span/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gilbert gasped, his eyes widening. If Alex hadn't been so worried, he would have laughed. His fear began to grow. Did he say something wrong? He had been spoken to, hadn't he? He was supposed to answer, right? Maybe he shouldn't have-/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"He was cut off by someone shaking his hand energetically./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"He looked up into the sparkling eyes of Gilbert Lafayette, his curly hair bouncing. "You speak french! This is /spanspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"merveilleux! /emI have someone to speak to me! George and Martha are great, but they do not understand the language of my heart."/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Alex watched the boy as Gilbert's (as Alex decided to call him) smile grew and grew, his accent making him sound even happier./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;""George?" a voice called. Alex looked around, searching for its owner. George beamed. "In the foyer, dear!"/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"A young woman came in, carrying a plastic box. She stopped when she saw Alex. "Martha, this is Alexander. Alexander, this is my wife, Martha." Martha handed the box to Gilbert, who immediately began prying the lid off. /span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hello. It's nice to meet you." Martha told Alex, holding out her hand. Alex stared at it for a moment. She would hurt him, he knew, once he became too relaxed. He couldn't take her hand./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"He looked next to him when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Hamilton looked back at him, smiling. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""Go on."/span/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"With a shaking hand, Alex shook Mrs. Washington's. She smiled. "Do you need anything? A drink, maybe a bite to- Gilbert!"/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"While they had been talking, Gilbert had opened the box, devouring whatever it had contained. Now, he looked up sheepishly, crumbs littering his face. "Eh, the cookies are /spanspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"délicieux/em?" Mr. Washington shook his head in amusement. /span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gilbert turned to Alex, holding out the box. "Do you want one, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ami/em? They are /spanspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"céleste!"/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Alex looked at the treats, still warm from the oven, chocolate chips melty and looking just as Gilbert had said- heavenly. But this could be a test. He could be punished for being greedy, or for stealing Gilbert's food. He shouldn't. /span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"But they looked so good! Just the right golden color, just like how-/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"And suddenly he wasn't in the Washington home. He wasn't alone. It wasn't Gilbert holding out a tray of cookies, it was his mother./em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He was nine again, a year after his father left. She was smiling in her maid uniform, her hair a mess, as she offered up the golden treats./em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Mr. York likes his crunchy, and these were too soft. I got Ariel to give them to me instead of throwing them out, and now I'm giving them to you." "Really?" Little Alex had breathed, his eyes lit up. "Yes," she chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "But only if you behave, and answer the questions right." "Aw!" "A-a-a, Alexander. Remember, these cookies are on the line." She chuckled when he snapped to attention, saluting her over barely reppressed giggles./em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Alright," They were sitting on the floor, the cookies between them, a basket of linens next to his mother. "Question one: What is a flowers food system called?" Alex's brows furrowed as he thought. "Oh! Photosynthesystem!" His mother laughed. "Close enough." "What is it?" "Photosynthesis." "Oh. Can I hae a cookie?"/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""-Alexander?" "Huh?"/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Alex looked around, trying to find whoever was calling for him. "Momma, did you hear-?" /em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Alexander."/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Where- there's no one else here."/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Alexander?"/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"He watched in fear and horror as everything around him began to melt away, turning grey and washing out./em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""Alexander!"/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Alex blinked. "Huh?" he asked, seeing the Washingtons looking at him in concern. "Are you alright?" Mr. Washington asked. "Y-Yeah, I, uh, I just zoned out. I'm fine. Is there somewhere I can put my bag down?"/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'll show you to your room, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"ami/em." Gilbert said. Silently, he led Alex upstairs./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Young Lafayette didn't know what was wrong. All he knew, was Alexander was not 'fine', and it was his job to figure out how to help./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Hamilton sighed as he flickered in and out of existence, following the two boys. Little Alex was going to be the second death of him. He watched as Gilbert showed Alex the giant green room he would stay in, and how, exausted, Alex had merely nodded and collapsed on the large bed./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Gilbert stood by the door for a moment, then left./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Hamilton looked down at Alex, who he knew was not asleep. He wouldn't be able to, not with the fractured rib and bruised shoulders./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"He gasped when he flickered again, pulling back Alex's hair to remind him that he wasn't alone. This wouldn't work. The little Alexander needed help. He needed friends. Maybe, now that Alex wasn't pushing them away as much, Hamilton could find the others./span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"But Hamilton had the strongest ties to the boy, and he was still having trouble staying. Sighing once more, he kneeled down to give Alex a hug. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;""Go to sleep, kiddo."/span/em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Frowning sadly, he faded away. /span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;"Time to find the rest of the Revolution./span/p  
/div 


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